A review of 30 prominent property sales websites undertaken by a digital marketing company demonstrates, perhaps predictably, a huge lead for the established portals when it comes to searches.
The review, undertaken by a firm called Inside Online, examined search activity over recent years up to spring 2015, and concludes that 2014 showed an overall decrease in search volume of the 30 sites compared to 2013, with a further decrease in 2015.
The report offers a detailed analysis of search engine optimisation and the use of keywords to optimise search volume. But arguably the most fascinating component is the league table of searches per month in 2014-15.
The established portals are way out in front - but with Rightmove around three times the volume of searches for Zoopla, and OnTheMarket not included in the research.
Meanwhile Your Move leads the volume agents and Savills leads the high-end agents, both by substantial margins. Inside Online sources the figures, below, as “approximate search volumes taken from Google”:
Rightmove: 11,100,000
Zoopla: 3,350,000
PrimeLocation: 301,000
Your Move: 165,000
Home: 110,000
Savills: 90,500
Reeds Rains: 90,500
Knight Frank: 60,500
Foxtons: 60,500
Countrywide: 60,500
Strutt & Parker: 49,500
Connells: 49,500
Haart: 40,500
Romans: 33,100
Hamptons International: 27,100
Bridgfords: 27,100
Belvoir: 22,200
Taylors estate agents: 18,100
Nestoria: 14,800
Stags: 14,800
Dixons Estate Agents: 6,600
Robinsons Estate Agents: 6,600
House Network: 5,400
Homes24: 1,600
Andrews Online: 880
Bairstow Eves: 720
Parkers Properties: 260
Acorn Ltd: 210
Inside Online says the website with the largest growth in 2014-2015 has been Nestoria, which has seen 131 per cent more searches during the year. The worst performing was Homes24 which saw a 59 per cent decrease.
The full report is here.
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RM and Zoopla way out in front? Never.
We keep being told OTM are well on their way to being the second biggest portal in the country.
No surprises here. Portals are only part of the sales process, but they are a very big part, especially in London and its suburbs. To say otherwise is just being naive. Of course agents offer a service that is much more than just being a presence on the major portals, but their reach is phenomenal and they should be embraced rather than bemoaned.
Interesting to see the difference between the figures of Rightmove and Zoopla, but particularly interesting to see (or not to see as the case may be) OTM not placing on the search league table. Yes is it still early days for the portal, but considering the hype it created in wanting to knock the other portals off of their perch it doesn't seem to have quite had the desired effect
This just highlights that if you didn't know already know, quite how vital portals are in our industry. The influence they have is astounding.
Not many online agents in here, eh?
To clarify OnTheMarket does not appear in the league table as the survey covers the period before OTM launched .
My understanding is that this was a snap shot from 2013 and not up to date so it is misleading
"The review, undertaken by a firm called Inside Online, examined search activity over recent years up to spring 2015"
The above would suggest otherwise, David Rogers. But I'm not completely sure. Can anyone clarify?
It does seem a bit like a stating the obvious exercise. RM and Z have by far and away the most searches? Well blow me down!
@Noel Flint - didn't OTM launch in Jan 2015? Why weren't they included if the research went up to spring 2015?
This is all getting very confusing.
lies, damned lies, and statistics
Hi there, I work for the company who produced the report in question, I would like to clarify some of the queries above.
• In regards to OTM not featuring in the report, this is because the site does not rank highly for the keywords related to the industry, these keywords can be found on page 3 – Keyword competitiveness. If OTM had an effective keyword strategy examining their short, medium and long term goals, (this would be facilitated through an SEO overview) they would feature in the report. As they are newly established they may not yet be ranking for these keywords, it would be interesting to see if the statistics change over the next 6 months.
• The Search Volume Overview are the most current statistics for search, taken in June 2015.
• The data is not a snap shot of 2013, all data sourced is up to date and relevant to the market, we would not publish a report with false or altered statistics.
If you wish to discuss the report please contact hatty@insideonline.co.uk.
Many thanks,
Hatty Scaramanga
Marketing Manager Inside Online
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